Roxon turns to YouTube for data retention argument
- 11 September, 2012 09:55
- Comments 4
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon is continuing to try to stem the public backlash against data retention, offering a YouTube clip for not-for-profit organisation GetUp! to broadcast.
The organisation has declined to accept the video.
“GetUp! claims that companies will be required by law to store every message you send, every website you visit, every conversation you have, or product you buy for two years. This is simply not true,” Roxon said in the clip.
Roxon also stated GetUp! has claimed ASIO can demand personal passwords to access computers and social networking sites or face jail penalties.
“Again, that’s totally false. There is no proposal that people give up passwords,” she said.
“But sophisticated criminals, particularly paedophiles, are known to encrypt their information. There are already powers for law enforcement agencies under warrant to compel suspects to decrypt data held on a computer to turn unintelligible information into compelling evidence against these serious criminals.”
While Roxon again stated she still had not made up her mind on whether the proposals on data retention should go ahead, she has previously stated law enforcement authorities need data retention to solve crimes.
Roxon recently wrote to the Herald Sun stating the the government is not proposing to store the contents of emails and Facebook data.
“As the Attorney-General, I want to make sure that our police and national security agencies can keep up with this rapidly evolving technology and the new environment,” she said in the video.
“Of course we must also have the right checks and balances in place to ensure that national security powers are not abused and that the privacy of Australians is respected.”
A parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security is currently carrying out an inquiry to consider proposals for reforms for telecommunications interception, telecommunications sector security and Australian intelligence community legislation.
One of the most contentious aspects of the proposals includes "tailored data retention periods for up to two years for parts of a data set".
The committee is expected to report to the government by the end of the year.
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Comments
Rex
1
If there are already laws in place to deal with serious crimes then why the new ones Miss Roxon? Might it be so you can hunt down those who critise you so you can have them charged like the fellow you had arrested and put before the courts? Roxon and Conroy would make Mugabe proud. Oops, i might be facing jail for comparing Roxon to Mugabe the dictator...................
Max
2
Don't bother watching Miss Roxon's meaningless video on what she think is true and what isn't.
We as the people decide what is true and what is beneficial to our nation's security without compromising our individual privacy and forced to be under surveillance like an offender.
I urge everyone to read the submissions to the inquiry so far and raise your concerns with your own submission!
www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=pjcis/nsl2012/subs.htm
Steve
3
One thing I find frustrating about those opposed to data retention is they fail to use HTTPS links where available - one of the simplest ways to help thwart data retention, both by securing one's activity on a particular site, and more generally helping to normalise privacy in online communcation. Many major sites already support it - Google, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.
Sites like Computerworld could help by having a functioning HTTPS option on their site, so while the data retention may reveal a person visited computerworld.com.au, it won't reveal which specific pages they viewed.
Harquebus
4
nicola.roxon.mp@aph.gov.au